Laminitis claims undefeated Peppers Pride at age 16

The popular New Mexico-bred Peppers Pride, who won all 19 of her starts, was euthanized last week after a battle with laminitis, leaving behind a handful of runners who have yet to hint at her accomplishments on the racetrack – but also two youngsters by promising young sires.

Peppers Pride, a 16-year-old Desert God mare, resided at Taylor Made Farm in Nicholasville, Ky., for breeder Joe Allen and for Michael Stinson, who purchased an interest in her following her racing career. Peppers Pride raced from ages 2 to 5, winning all 19 of her starts against New Mexico-breds for trainer Joel Marr, and earning $1,066,085. She won 14 statebred stakes, including four New Mexico Cup championship program stakes.

Peppers Pride's first foal, the Distorted Humor mare Funny Pepper, was unraced; that daughter currently has one starter from four foals. The mare next produced Punctuate, by Distorted Humor, who won his only career start in 2014. He now stands in New Mexico.

The mare's next foal was the winning Malibu Moon gelding Dad, who was donated by his connections to Remember Me Rescue in Texas to re-train and re-home him as a riding horse at the conclusion of his racing career. The gelding, now competes in eventing under the name Malibu Knight with Julie Bishop of Texas. The duo recently finished 26th in the Beginner Novice Master Amateur division at the American Eventing Championships at the Kentucky Horse Park.

Peppers Pride's next two foals were Spunwithpride, by Hard Spun, who went winless in two starts; and Wampus, a daughter of Malibu Moon. The 4-year-old filly, who most recently raced in March, has won 2 of 14 career starts.

Peppers Pride was barren in the 2016 foaling season, and aborted what would have been her 2017 offspring. She then successfully delivered a colt by Triple Crown winner and leading freshman sire American Pharoah. Now a yearling, he has been named American Pepper. Peppers Pride's final foal was a filly from the second crop of two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome, born in February.